Radical ⽜ (93)

Shang	Shang (Shi)	Early W.Zhou	Middle W.Zhou	Qin	W.Han	E.Han	Nanbei (N.Wei)	Tang
集2973	合2595	近二321	集2838A	睡.種73	北.趙7	五.行231	寇憑墓誌	九經字樣

{牛}*ŋʷə “cow”

Depiction of a cow’s head.

• 季旭昇 2014 - 說文新證 [2nd ed.] (90-91)

Zhanguo (Qin)	Qin	W.Han	E.Han	Nanbei (N.Wei)	Tang
集10384	珍秦61	銀一899	孔龢碑	南0113X	九經字樣

{牟} *mu “moo”

Depiction of a cow (牛) with a dot/line over it, representing the sound coming from it.

• 黃德寬 (ed.) 2007 - 古文字譜系疏證 (735)

{牽} *[k]ʰˤi[ŋ] “to pull”

Initially the word {牽} was written as 𮕧 (depiction of a hand (又) pulling on clothes (衣)). Later ♪矛 *KRIŊ was added, and 又 was changed to 手 HAND and then distorted to 牛.

• 蘇建洲 2021 - 說「牽」